Common To Play Lead Role In “Black Samurai” TV Series

In recent years, Common has seemed to focus more on his acting career than music career (his last full length album was 2014’s Nobody’s Smiling), showing us another side to his multi-talented self. He starred in 2014’s Selma as Civil Rights Movement leaderJames Bevel (he won both the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the 2015 Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Glory,” the film’s theme song); 2015’s Run All Night; and will be in this year’s DC Extended Universe extravaganza, Suicide Squad.

With all of that in play, the Chicago artist may have finally found his perfect role — he’s set to star in a television adaptation of Black Samurai.

As Variety reports, the TV project is currently in development and will feature Common in the show’s leading role. The Wu-Tang Clan‘s RZA is attached as an executive producer.

Based on Marc Olden‘s 1974 book series (which inspired the 1977 film of the same name), the forthcoming TV adaptation follows the story of Robert Sand (Common) who is rescued by a Japanese samurai master and trained for several years. However, upon witnessing his teacher and fellow samurai killed by terrorists, Sand seeks vengeance against the people that killed his friends.

“Robert Sand is like black Jason Bourne. Black Samurai is one of the most unique, timely and fun experiences I’ve ever read, while at the same time tackling some serious subjects around race and diversity,” Andre Gaines, Black Samurai‘s producer, toldVariety. “With John Wick 2 and Suicide Squad coming up, Common was an obvious choice for the role, and I’m thrilled to have him on board. I believe he’s the next great American actor.”

Gaines and other producers attached to the show are currently shopping the project. Once a network signs on the search for a director and writer will begin. But considering Common and RZA will be participating in it (the latter is a known lover of martial arts and samurai films, having contributed to projects such as Afro Samurai and his own The Man With The Iron Fists), hopefully we’ll be seeing Black Samurai on our TV screens soon.